Rapper Doechii transformed her moment of triumph at the BET Awards into a powerful political statement, directing attention to the escalating immigration protests and federal response unfolding in Los Angeles. The 26-year-old artist, honored with the Best Female Hip-Hop Artist award during Sunday's ceremony at the Peacock Theater, dedicated her acceptance speech to the turmoil outside.
Accepting her award, Doechii expressed deep concern over the situation. "While I'm truly honored by this recognition," she stated, "I must address what's happening right now beyond these walls. Our communities are being subjected to ruthless tactics creating fear and chaos, all supposedly in the name of law and order. President Trump is deploying military forces to suppress protests."
Her comments came amidst days of demonstrations across Los Angeles County. These protests erupted following a series of raids conducted by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) targeting undocumented immigrants. Operations occurred at locations like a Home Depot and a downtown garment factory.
Doechii sharply questioned the government's actions: "Consider what kind of government we appear to have when every single time we exercise our fundamental democratic right to protest, the military is turned against us. What does that signify?"
The ICE raids, part of a directive from President Trump to locate undocumented individuals, sparked widespread outrage. Initial protests were largely peaceful but intensified dramatically when heavily armed, masked agents stormed local businesses. The resulting clashes led to damaged self-driving vehicles, freeway closures, and the use of tear gas.
Following smaller demonstrations on June 6th, President Trump mobilized significant military resources. His order sent 4,000 California National Guard troops and 700 Marines into Los Angeles, a move that drew condemnation and a lawsuit from state officials accusing him of deliberately inflaming tensions.
President Trump defended the deployment as essential to contain what he termed "violent, instigated riots." While arrests have occurred and incidents of vandalism and looting were reported in limited downtown areas, the scale of violence described by the administration has been contested.
Doechii joins other celebrities, including Finneas and Reneé Rapp, who have publicly criticized the Trump administration's handling of the situation, arguing it incites the very unrest it claims to combat.
Concluding her speech with a call for unity, Doechii declared, "People are being torn from their families. As an artist, I feel responsible to speak up for all oppressed communities: Black people, Latino people, trans people, the people of Gaza. We all deserve to live in hope, not fear. I urge my brothers and sisters to stand together against hate and oppression, and to keep protesting against it."